Jan Bell
Well-known member
I wrote to Roger Helmer MEP, who had a message of support for the Kennel Club on their website. After a bit of a delay, I got a reply by e-mail today with the following Kennel Club Briefing Notes attached.
Somebody else on the Cold Wet Nose Blog has also recieved them via her MP, so I assume the Kennel Club has just released them. It's a bit of a turn around on the part of the Kennel Club, but I don't care about that, as long as they are moving in the right direction.
It sounds positive to me (particularly the bit about now supporting legislation) and I will be writing to them with particular reference to Cavaliers and the recent developments at the SGM.
As I am still a novice at this stuff I would be glad of any comments or opinions about the following statement in case my optimism is misplaced.
Briefing Note: Breed Health
Although the Kennel Club is disappointed that a recent BBC documentary, Pedigree Dogs Exposed failed to acknowledge the work of the Kennel Club in tackling breed health, we are grateful that the programme brought this important issue to the forefront. While it is imperative to remember that our extensive research indicates that the vast majority of breeds and dogs are healthy, the Kennel Club is far from complacent where health is concerned and has many plans in place for the future to deal with breed health.
The Kennel Club Remit
The objective of the Kennel Club is to improve the welfare, health and general well being of all dogs, throughout every stage of their lives. To fulfil this objective the Kennel Club has long been working on the issue of breed health as a priority and is still continuing to do so – particularly in light of scientific advances. For legal reasons (a raft of competition law and sports law), the Kennel Club is not able to refuse registrations – it is because of this that the Kennel Club launched the Accredited Breeder Scheme (see below). In addition, there is nothing to prevent another dog registry being set up, or another breeder scheme of some sort. This is worrying for the Kennel Club since we are a not for profit organisation with a Charitable Trust – therefore all of the money the Kennel Club makes as a result of registrations, PetLog and Crufts, goes back into dogs
Kennel Club Initiatives to Improve Breed Health
The Kennel Club along with breeders and breed clubs have made a good start in improving breed health. This paper outlines the progress the Kennel Club has made to date, and also plans for the future.
Proposed way forward
Although the Kennel Club is working towards improving breed health, there is arguably a need for further improvement and to enable changes to happen more quickly by way of legislation. The Kennel Club currently operates under the constant threat of legal action for ‘overstepping the mark’ and other less stringent schemes being established for breeders not meeting ABS standards. We believe that the Kennel Club should be given statutory powers to make all breeders accredited. This would mean that every puppy sold to future dog owners, and indeed, every dog in the show ring (born in the UK) would have had to bred by an accredited breeder, and therefore with health as a priority, and with the appropriate health screening tests carried out.
Somebody else on the Cold Wet Nose Blog has also recieved them via her MP, so I assume the Kennel Club has just released them. It's a bit of a turn around on the part of the Kennel Club, but I don't care about that, as long as they are moving in the right direction.
It sounds positive to me (particularly the bit about now supporting legislation) and I will be writing to them with particular reference to Cavaliers and the recent developments at the SGM.
As I am still a novice at this stuff I would be glad of any comments or opinions about the following statement in case my optimism is misplaced.
Briefing Note: Breed Health
Although the Kennel Club is disappointed that a recent BBC documentary, Pedigree Dogs Exposed failed to acknowledge the work of the Kennel Club in tackling breed health, we are grateful that the programme brought this important issue to the forefront. While it is imperative to remember that our extensive research indicates that the vast majority of breeds and dogs are healthy, the Kennel Club is far from complacent where health is concerned and has many plans in place for the future to deal with breed health.
The Kennel Club Remit
The objective of the Kennel Club is to improve the welfare, health and general well being of all dogs, throughout every stage of their lives. To fulfil this objective the Kennel Club has long been working on the issue of breed health as a priority and is still continuing to do so – particularly in light of scientific advances. For legal reasons (a raft of competition law and sports law), the Kennel Club is not able to refuse registrations – it is because of this that the Kennel Club launched the Accredited Breeder Scheme (see below). In addition, there is nothing to prevent another dog registry being set up, or another breeder scheme of some sort. This is worrying for the Kennel Club since we are a not for profit organisation with a Charitable Trust – therefore all of the money the Kennel Club makes as a result of registrations, PetLog and Crufts, goes back into dogs
Kennel Club Initiatives to Improve Breed Health
The Kennel Club along with breeders and breed clubs have made a good start in improving breed health. This paper outlines the progress the Kennel Club has made to date, and also plans for the future.
[*]Funding research through the Kennel Club’s Charitable Trust
[*]Health Survey
[*]Breed Club Health Programmes
[*]The Breed Health and Welfare Strategy Group (BHWSG)
[*]Breed Standards
[*]Judges
[*]Veterinary passports
[*]Health Initiatives in Partnership With the Veterinary Profession
[*]Health Screening Programmes and DNA tests
[*]Accredited Breeder Scheme (ABS)
Proposed way forward
Although the Kennel Club is working towards improving breed health, there is arguably a need for further improvement and to enable changes to happen more quickly by way of legislation. The Kennel Club currently operates under the constant threat of legal action for ‘overstepping the mark’ and other less stringent schemes being established for breeders not meeting ABS standards. We believe that the Kennel Club should be given statutory powers to make all breeders accredited. This would mean that every puppy sold to future dog owners, and indeed, every dog in the show ring (born in the UK) would have had to bred by an accredited breeder, and therefore with health as a priority, and with the appropriate health screening tests carried out.
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